Ahead of Japan PM visit, solons renew call for apology over 'comfort women'

Ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's arrival in Manila on Thursday, a party-list lawmaker renewed calls for the Japanese government to apologize and claim responsibility for the sexual abuses suffered by "comfort women" during World War II.

Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas said their group opposes any "agenda" the Japanese government might have with the Duterte administration that would endanger FIlipino women and Philippine sovereignty.

"Tinututulan po namin ang mga agenda na laban sa kababaihan at laban sa soberanya ng bansa," she said. "Hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin kinikilala ang mga comfort women natin. Hindi pa rin sila nabibigayn ng hustisya."

Brosas said their group likewise objects to any military exercises between the Philippines and Japan.

Brosas and fellow Gabriela party-list Rep. Emmi de Jesus had earlier filed House Resolution 213 urging the Duterte administration to take the Japanese government to task for the sexual abuses during World War II.

In their resolution, the lawmakers said the House of Representatives was "expressing its sense that the Philippine government urges the government of Japan to formally acknowledge, apologize for and accept historical responsibility over the sexual slavery of young women commonly known as comfort women by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II."

They also wanted the Japanese government to compensate the victims "in a clear and unequivocal manner" for the coercion of young women into sexual slavery during the war.

De Jesus and Brosas made the appeal "in light of the legislative initiative in the House of Councilors of Japan seeking apology, compensation and immediate resolution of issues concerning comfort women."

The lawmakers were referring to a bill entitled "Promotion of Resolution for Issues Concerning VIctims of Wartime Sexual Coercion Act" that was filed with the House of Councilors in Japan on June 9, 2004.

The bill was introduced jointly by the Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party and independent senators.

Before that, the same bill had already been filed on March 21 and Novmeber 14, 2001, and January 21, 2003, but the House of Councilors failed to adopt the measure.

According to Gabriela, more than 80 bona fide comfort women members of the Lila Filipina had died without getting justice, 24 years after the Filipino comfort women first took up the issue to the public. —KBK, GMA News